Skate with tendon guard

ABSTRACT

A skate boot having a tendon guard partially delimiting an opening of the skate boot. The tendon guard includes a lower member, a connecting member extending upwardly from the lower member, an upper member extending upwardly from the connecting member and an intermediate part. The upper member is abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user. The upper member is resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction. The intermediate part interconnects the upper and lower members and may encase the connecting member. The intermediate part is made of a material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than that of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member. A method of manufacturing a skate is also discussed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The application relates generally to skates and, more particularly, to boots for such skates.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

Skate boots, and in particular ice hockey skate boots, have generally become more rigid over time in order to provide the necessary support for the players. Skate boots must usually provide at least some ankle support and protection for the Achilles tendon, while nevertheless allowing a certain degree of flexion to accommodate the dorsiflexion and plantar flexion of the ankle joint.

Although some conventional skate boots provide some amount of flexibility, they may still be too rigid for some players. It is understood that a skate boot that is too rigid can negatively impact the performance of the player using the skate boot.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, there is provided a skate boot, comprising: a tendon guard partially delimiting an opening of the skate boot for receiving therein a foot of a user, the tendon guard having: a lower member surrounding a rear portion of the opening of the skate boot; a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member; an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member about the connecting member in a forward and a rearward direction; and an intermediate part interconnecting the upper and lower members and encasing the connecting member, the intermediate part made of a material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than that of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.

In another aspect, there is provided a tendon guard for a skate boot, comprising: a body made of a first material and having a lower member, a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member, and an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; and an intermediate part made of a second material interconnecting the upper and lower members and encasing the connecting member, the intermediate part occupying a portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and around the connecting member, the second material being more flexible than the first material.

In further aspect, there is provided a skate boot, comprising: a tendon guard partially delimiting an opening of the skate boot for receiving therein a foot of a user, the tendon guard having: a lower member surrounding a rear portion of the opening of the skate boot; a connecting member having upwardly extending first and second side edges, the connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member; an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; and an intermediate part interconnecting the upper and lower members, the intermediate part occupying a first portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and the first side edge of the connecting member, and a second portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and the second side edge of the connecting member, the intermediate part made of a material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than that of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.

In a further aspect, there is provided a method of manufacturing a skate, comprising: manufacturing a tendon guard, including: forming a body of the tendon guard from a first material, the body having a lower member, a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member, and an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; interconnecting the upper and lower members with an intermediate part of the tendon guard made of a second material, the second material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than the first material; and assembling the tendon guard with a skate boot of the skate.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic tridimensional view of a skate having a skate boot with a tendon guard, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2A is a schematic tridimensional view of the tendon guard of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2B is a schematic exploded view of the tendon guard of FIG. 2A; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the tendon guard of FIG. 1, an upper member of the tendon guard being shown in multiple positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a skate 10. The skate 10 includes a skate boot 11, to which is attached a blade assembly 12. The blade assembly 12 includes a blade holder portion 13 fixed to the bottom of an outsole 14 of the skate boot 11, and a metal blade 15 retained within the blade holder portion 13. Although the skate 10 is depicted as a hockey ice skate, the present invention could equally apply to other types of skates, such as for example, a roller hockey skate, a recreational ice skate or a recreational in-line roller skate.

The outsole 14 generally defines the bottom portion of the skate boot 11, to which are connected a toe cap 16 surrounding the toes, two quarters 17 (only one of which is shown, given that only one side of the skate 10 is visible) covering the sides of the foot and wrapped around the ankle for improved support thereof, and a rear element 18 covering a rear portion of the foot. A tongue 19 extends from the toe cap 16 to cover the instep. Other configurations for the skate 10 are possible, and the configuration of the skate 10 and/or the skate boot 11 is not limited to the depicted embodiment.

The rear element 18 includes a portion covering and protecting the Achilles tendon, which interconnects the two quarters 17 at the rear of the foot. This portion, referred to herein as a tendon guard 20, is flexible enough to follow the motions of the ankle, while also being stiff enough to protect the Achilles tendon from impacts.

In the depicted embodiment, the tendon guard 20 extends around some of the periphery of an upper portion of the skate boot 11, and delimits at least partially an opening 20A in the upper portion of the skate boot 11 through which the foot of the user is inserted into the skate boot 11. The opening 20A is thus defined between the tendon guard 20 and the tongue 19.

FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the tendon guard 20, including a body 21 and an interconnecting part 22. Although the body 21 and intermediate part 22 of the tendon guard 20 are depicted as being separate from one another in the exploded view of FIG. 2B, in a particular embodiment the body 21 and intermediate part 22 of the tendon guard 20 are connected together such that it forms a single body. More particularly, the components of the tendon guard 20 described below can be integral with one another such that the tendon guard 20 forms one-piece object whose components cannot be separated cleanly without causing damage to the individual components. The integrality of the tendon guard 20 may be achieved, for example, during its manufacturing. In an alternate embodiment, the body 21 and intermediate part 22 may be removably and/or adjustably connected to one another, so as to allow selective replacement of the body 21 and intermediate part 22, and/or adjustment of their relative position.

The body 21 of the tendon guard 20 forms the bulk of the tendon guard 20 in the depicted embodiment, and provides protection to a rear bottom portion of the leg of the user adjacent to her/his Achilles tendon. The body 21 has a lower member 23 is attached to both quarters 17 of the skate boot 11, for example through stitching and/or adhesive, to partially or completely surround the opening 20A in the skate boot 11. In the depicted embodiment, the lower member 23 includes a series of eyelets 23A defined therethrough in proximity to the tongue 19, which are configured to overlap and be aligned with eyelets defined through the quarters 17, or be complementary to the quarter 17 to define the top eyelets of the boot 11 with the quarters 17 defining only the remaining eyelets extending under the eyelets 23A defined by the lower member 23. Alternately, the lower member 23 can define the entire row of eyelets of the boot 11 (whether on its own or by overlapping a portion of the quarters 17 in which the eyelets are also defined), and define for example the complete facing of the boot. In a particular embodiment, the lower member 23 is fixedly attached to the skate boot 11 such that it remains fixed in place. This anchoring of the lower member 23 may contribute to the resilient and flexible displacement of other portions of the tendon guard 20.

The body 21 also includes an upper member 24. The upper member 24 is substantially upright, such that it extends above the opening 20A when the tendon guard 20 forms part of the skate boot 11. When the foot of the user is inserted into the skate boot 11, the upper member 24 is in close proximity to, or may abut against, a bottom rear portion of the leg of the user. Stated differently, the upper member 24 is disposed adjacent to the Achilles tendon, thereby providing protection for the Achilles tendon. The upper member 24 can thus take any form suitable for such functionality. In the depicted embodiment, for example, the upper member 24 is sufficiently wide to shield the Achilles tendon from directly behind the foot, and slightly along the side.

The lower and upper members 23, 24 are connected together via a connecting member 25. The connecting member 25 bridges the space between the lower and upper members 23, 24. In the depicted embodiment, lower member 23, upper member 24 and connecting member 25 are made of the same material. A portion 25A of the tendon guard 20 is free of this material and is instead made of a more flexible material; this portion 25A is defined between the upper and lower members 23, 24 and around the connecting member 25. In the depicted embodiment, the portion 25A is shown as a first portion 25B and a second portion 25C (see FIG. 2B). The first portion 25B extends between the lower and upper members 23, 24 and a first side edge 25D of the connecting member 25. The second portion 25C extends between the lower and upper members 23, 24 and a second side edge 25E of the connecting member 25. The first and second side edges 25D, 25E of the connecting member 25 extend substantially upwardly from the lower member 23.

The portion 25A facilitates the resilient displacement of the upper member 24 because the relatively rigid material of the upper member 24 only extends to the lower member 23 via the relatively narrow connecting member 25. The absence of the relatively rigid material in the portion 25A improves the flexibility of the upper member 24 and its ability to flex or bend relative to the lower member 23.

In the depicted embodiment, a width W_(CON) of the connecting member 25 is less than the width of both the lower and upper members 23, 24. The connecting member 25 thus forms a relatively narrow connection or bridge between the lower and upper members 23, 24. The comparatively small width W_(CON) of the connecting member 25 contributes to the flexibility of the upper member 24. The width W_(CON) of the connecting member 25 can be any suitable value to achieve such functionality, and to still provide protection to the Achilles tendon because the connecting member 25 remains substantially aligned with the Achilles tendon when the skate boot 11 is worn by the user.

In the depicted embodiment, the connecting member 25 defines a joint 26 where it is connected with both the lower and upper members 23, 24. At least the joint 26 defined between the connecting member 25 and the lower member 23 is flexible, and is designated as flexible joint 26A. The flexible joint 26A can contribute to the relative and resilient displacement of the connecting member 25 and the lower member 23. In the depicted embodiment, the connecting member 25 and the upper member 24 joined thereto are displaceable relative to the lower member 23 such that the upper member 24 is displaceable relative to the lower member 24 in a forward and a rearward direction about the flexible joint 26A.

The displacement of the upper member 24 relative to the lower member 23 is caused when the upper member 24 is flexed by a foot or an ankle of the user. This can occur, for example, when the user flexes her/his foot rearward in the skate boot 11, a movement known as dorsiflexion, and thus abuts against the upper member 24 causing it to displace in the rearward direction. The displacement of the upper member 24 is resilient, such that the upper member 24 will displace in the forward direction back to a default resting position once the foot is no longer abutting thereagainst. The flexible joint 26A therefore assists the upper member 24 to follow a given forward and rearward flexion of an ankle of the user. It will be appreciated that the “forward direction” is understood herein as being in the direction of the toe cap 16 of the skate boot 11, while the “rearward direction” is opposite to the forward direction (i.e. away from the toe cap 16).

Accordingly, in the depicted embodiment, at least the upper member 24 is able to pivot or flex about a fulcrum defined at the flexible joint 26A, in a forward and rearward direction. The upper member 24 thus acts like a lever arm, flexing backward about its connection to the connecting member 25, when force is applied by the user on the tendon guard 20.

The flexibility provided by the flexible joint 26A can be achieved using different techniques, all of which are within the scope of the present disclosure. One possible technique includes a score line to define the flexible joint 26A between the connecting member 25 and the lower member 24. Another possible technique includes thinning the material of the connecting member 25 at the flexible joint 26A. Although the flexible joint 26A is described herein as being defined between the connecting member 25 and the lower member 23, it will be appreciated that the flexible joint 26A can be defined at any location along the connecting member 25, for example at the joint 26 between the connecting member 25 and the upper member 24.

The connecting member 25 can itself be made flexible so that the flexible joint 26A is defined in, or by, the connecting member 25, in order to promote the resilient displacement of the upper member 24. Referring to FIG. 2B, the connecting member 25 has one or more grooves 27. The presence of one or more grooves 27 reduces the thickness of the connecting member 25 at the location of the groove 27 which reduces the inherent stiffness of the connecting member 25 at that location, and promotes the flexibility of the connecting member 25. In the depicted embodiment, each groove 27 extends transversely or substantially transversely to a height of the skate boot 11. The orientation of the grooves 27 is thus parallel to an axis about which the upper member 24 flexes or pivots. The transverse orientation of the grooves 27 therefore contributes to the flexibility of the connecting member 25. It can thus be appreciated that the number, spacing, and depth of the grooves 27, to name but a few factors, can be varied to obtain the desired flexibility of the connecting member 25, and thus of the upper member 24 joined thereto.

Still referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the intermediate part 22 of the tendon guard 20 interconnects the lower and upper members 23, 24. In the depicted embodiment, the intermediate part 22 is a singular body that fills the portion 25A between lower and upper members 23, 24, and provides most of the interconnection between the lower and upper members 23, 24. In FIG. 2A, the connecting member 25 is encased or enclosed within the material of the intermediate part 22, which ensures continuity between the lower and upper members 23, 24. By encasing the connecting member 25, the intermediate part 22 also hides the connecting member 25 from view, and improves the aesthetics of the tendon guard 20. The connecting member 25 can be encased within the intermediate part 22 during the manufacture of the tendon guard 20. In other embodiments, the connecting member 25 may not be encased within the intermediate part 22, or only partially encased within the intermediate part 22.

The material of the intermediate part 22 is has a greater flexibility and/or has a lower hardness than the material of the body 21. The greater flexibility and/or lower hardness of the intermediate part 22 contribute to the resilient displacement of the upper member 24 relative to the lower member 23. In the depicted embodiment, the material of the body 21 is a relatively rigid plastic or composite and the material of the intermediate part 22 is a more flexible elastomeric material such as rubber or another plastic. In FIG. 2A, the connecting member 25 thus forms a connection between the lower and upper members 23, 24 that is enclosed within a more flexible material. The combination of the more rigid material in the lower and upper members 23, 24 and the more flexible material of the intermediate part 22 extending therebetween provides protection to the Achilles tendon, while also contributing to the resilient displacement of the upper member 24 relative to the lower member 23. It will be appreciated that the materials of the body 21 and intermediate part 22 having different flexibility and/or hardness from one another can be different materials, or the same type of material (e.g. same plastic with different hardness, different plastic resin grades, same resin but different number/type/material of fibers contained therein, same resin with and without fibers). Each of the body 21 and intermediate part 22 can be made from a combination of different materials.

Referring to FIG. 1, the intermediate part 22 is shown as delimiting some of an upper extremity of the skate boot 11 surrounding the opening 20A. In the depicted embodiment, the material of the intermediate part 22 forms a rim 28 that encircles at least part of the opening 20A in the skate boot 11.

FIG. 3 shows the resilient displacement of the tendon guard 20 in response to flexion about the ankle of the user. Under dorsiflexion, when a rearward pressure is applied by the foot against the upper member 24 and/or connecting member 25, the upper and connecting members 24, 25 are resiliently displaced about the flexible joint 26A in rearward direction D1. In the depicted embodiment, the lower member 23 is fixedly attached to the skate boot 11 such that it does not displace in response to the movement of the foot of the user. The extent of rearward resilient displacement of the upper member 24 and/or the connecting member 25 can be varied as desired. For example, by selecting the desired characteristics of the flexible joint 26A, the connecting member 25, and/or the materials of the body 21 and intermediate part 22, the extent of rearward displacement can be as shown at 24′, or even further rearward at 24″. Once rearward pressure is no longer applied, such as during plantar flexion, the upper member 24 and/or the connecting member 25 resiliently displace along forward direction D2 back to a default upright position.

In an alternate embodiment, the connecting member 25 is omitted, so that the lower member 23 and the upper member 24 are connected to each other only by the material of the intermediate part 22. In this embodiment, the lower member 23 and the upper member 24 can be made of different materials from one another (which may have different hardness and/or flexibility from one another) or of the same type material with different hardness and/or flexibility in each member, with the materials of both members having a lower hardness and/or greater flexibility than that of the interconnecting intermediate part 22. Alternately, the lower member 23 and the upper member 24 can be made of the same material having a lower hardness and/or greater flexibility than that of the intermediate part 22.

In a particular embodiment, and referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the skate 10 is manufactured in accordance with the following. The body 21 of the tendon guard 20 is formed, including the lower member 23, connecting member 25 and upper member 24. The body 21 and its components can be formed using any suitable technique. For example, the body 21 may be formed using a plastic injection process within a suitable mold.

The lower and upper members 23, 24 are then interconnected the intermediate part 22 of the tendon guard 20 made of a material more flexible than that of the body 21. The intermediate part 22 can be formed using any suitable technique. For example, the intermediate part 22 may also be formed using a plastic injection process within a suitable mold.

Interconnecting the lower and upper members 23, 24 together may include encasing the connecting member 25 in the material of the intermediate part 22. Interconnecting the lower and upper members 23, 24 may also include molding the material of the intermediate part 22 directly over the connecting member 25, and over at least part of each one of the upper and lower members 23, 24. The interconnection of the lower and upper members 23, 24 with the material of the intermediate part 22 can thus be achieved with an over-molding process, whereby the intermediate part 22 is pressure molded over at least some of the body 21. Other methods can alternately be used to form the connection; for example, the body 21 and the intermediate part 22 may be molded separately with complementary elements configured to form a mechanical lock when assembled, and then engaged together through the mechanical lock of the complementary elements. Alternately, fasteners or any other suitable type of attachment may be used to interconnect the body 21 and the intermediate part 22.

The assembled tendon guard 20 is then connected to the skate boot of the skate. The assembly with the skate boot can be achieved using various processes including, but not limited to, gluing, stitching, bounding, fusing, clipping, riveting, screwing, and mechanical locking.

In light of the preceding, it can be appreciated that the skate 10 disclosed herein includes a tendon guard 20 which is structural so as to provide protection to the Achilles tendon of the user, while also having flexibility in a desired area of the boot 11.

In a particular embodiment, the tendon guard 20 disclosed herein therefore allows for improved range of motion at the rear of the skate 10. During dorsiflexion, the tendon guard 20 allows the skate 10 to accommodate the backward flexion of the foot without lifting the skate 10 off of the playing surface. The flexibility of the tendon guard 20 therefore allows the player to keep the skate 10 in contact with the playing surface for a longer period of time, thus maximising the power transfer of each stride.

The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. Modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims. 

1. A skate boot, comprising: a tendon guard partially delimiting an opening of the skate boot for receiving therein a foot of a user, the tendon guard having: a lower member surrounding a rear portion of the opening of the skate boot; a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member; an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member about the connecting member in a forward and a rearward direction; and an intermediate part interconnecting the upper and lower members and encasing the connecting member, the intermediate part made of a material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than that of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.
 2. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the connecting member has a plurality of grooves therein.
 3. The skate boot as defined in claim 2, wherein each groove extends transversely to a height of the skate boot.
 4. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate part occupies a portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and around the connecting member, the portion being free a material of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.
 5. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower member is fixedly attached to the skate boot.
 6. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the intermediate part at least partially delimits an upper extremity of the skate surrounding the opening.
 7. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member are made of plastic and the material of the intermediate part is an elastomeric material.
 8. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member are made of a same material.
 9. The skate boot as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower member, the connecting member, the upper member and the intermediate part are integral with one another.
 10. A tendon guard for a skate boot, comprising: a body made of a first material and having a lower member, a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member, and an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; and an intermediate part made of a second material interconnecting the upper and lower members and encasing the connecting member, the intermediate part occupying a portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and around the connecting member, the second material being more flexible than the first material.
 11. The tendon guard as defined in claim 10, wherein the connecting member has a plurality of grooves therein, each groove extending transversely to a height of the skate boot.
 12. The tendon guard as defined in claim 10, the portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and around the connecting member is free of the first material.
 13. The tendon guard as defined in claim 10, wherein the first material is a plastic material and the second material is an elastomeric material.
 14. The tendon guard as defined in claim 10, wherein the body and the intermediate part are integral with one another.
 15. A skate boot, comprising: a tendon guard partially delimiting an opening of the skate boot for receiving therein a foot of a user, the tendon guard having: a lower member surrounding a rear portion of the opening of the skate boot; a connecting member having upwardly extending first and second side edges, the connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member; an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being abuttable against a rear bottom portion of a leg of the user, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; and an intermediate part interconnecting the upper and lower members, the intermediate part occupying a first portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and the first side edge of the connecting member, and a second portion of the tendon guard extending between the upper and lower members and the second side edge of the connecting member, the intermediate part made of a material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than that of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.
 16. The skate boot as defined in claim 15, wherein the material of the intermediate part encases the connecting member.
 17. The skate boot as defined in claim 15, wherein the connecting member has a plurality of grooves therein.
 18. The skate boot as defined in claim 16, wherein each groove extends transversely to a height of the skate boot.
 19. The skate boot as defined in claim 15, wherein the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member are made of a same material, and the first and second portions are free of the material of lower member, the connecting member and the upper member.
 20. The skate boot as defined in claim 19, wherein the material of the lower member, the connecting member and the upper member is a plastic material and the material of the intermediate part material is an elastomeric material.
 21. A method of manufacturing a skate, comprising: manufacturing a tendon guard, including: forming a body of the tendon guard from a first material, the body having a lower member, a connecting member extending upwardly from and connected to the lower member, and an upper member extending upwardly from and connected to the connecting member, the upper member being resiliently displaceable relative to the lower member in a forward and a rearward direction about the connecting member; interconnecting the upper and lower members with an intermediate part of the tendon guard made of a second material, the second material having one or both of a greater flexibility and a lower hardness than the first material; and assembling the tendon guard with a skate boot of the skate.
 22. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein interconnecting the upper and lower members includes encasing the connecting member in the second material.
 23. The method as defined in claim 21, wherein interconnecting the upper and lower members includes molding the second material over the connecting member and over at least part of each of the upper and lower members.
 24. The method as defined in claim 21, further comprising forming at least one of the body and the intermediate part by plastic injection. 